Mechanically-simulated baseball game



June 12, 1928.

1, 3,660 F. s. ATKINSON v MECHANIGALLY SIMULATED BASEBALL GAME I 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed April 27, 1927 InV enr or Fred S.A1Kinson June 12, 1928'. 1,673,660 F. s. ATKINSON MECHAN'ICALLY SIMULATED BASEB'ALL GAME f Filed April 27. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor.

j Fred SATkinson byw'wkw Artys Patented June 12, 1928.

v UNITED STATES FRED S. ATKINSON, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

HECHANICALLY-SIMULATED BASEBALL GAME.

Application filed April 27, 1927. Serial No. 187,034.

This invention relates to a game apparatus by which. a game similar to a baseball game can be played. The device is of that known type which comprises a visible representation of a baseball field, a ball which is adapted to bejprojected or actuated by the application of force and means operative when the ball is actuated to indicate the value of the play.

.In the present invention the ball is suspended and when it is projected either by being struck with a hat or by the application of force in any other way the signalactuating device is stepped forward one step. Each time that the signabactuating device is thus stepped forward it will exhibit a signal which will indicate the value of the play. In the present invention while the signal-actuating deviceis rendered open ative by the ball being projected yet its operation does not depend upon the force with which the ball is projected as projecting the ball with a relatively gentle force will bring the same result as if the ball were projected with a great force. As the device is operated the signals are displayed in a predetermined sequence which, however, is unknown to the person playing the game.

The features wherein my present invention reside will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated a selected embodiment/of my invention, Fig. 1 is a front view of a game apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2. Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical wiring for the system;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the actuator by which the signals are controlled;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the device for rendering the apparatus operative upon deposit of a coin;

Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the signal-circuit closing device.

The apparatus is hereinshown as placed within asuitable cabinet 1 which has depicted on its front face a representation of a baseball diamond as shown at 2. 3 indicates a suspended ball which is adapted to be projected by the application of force thereto. This projection of the ball may be accomplished eitherby hitting the ball with the bat or by throwing the ball or by applying force thereto in any desirable way. In the present invention said ball is sup ported from a hollow arm 4 that extends laterally from the cabinet 1 in any desired position relative to the representation of the 1 diamond 2. Said arm is provided with the right angular portion 5. The ball 3 is sup ported by a cord 6 which extends upwardly through the portion 5 of the arm 4 and then 'into the horizontal portion thereof, said cord baseball bat or is thrown by hand or other wise projected the momentum of the ball will cause the arm 4 to rotate as will be obvious and since the portion 5 of the arm extends radially to the circular path of the ball the centrifugal force of the ball will compress the spring 8 somewhat.

Associated with the baseball diamond 2 are a plurality of signals for indicating the value of the hit and means are provided whereby the compression of the spring 8 due to the centrifugal force on the ball 3 when it is projected will set the signalmechanism in operation.

Any desirable number of signals may be employed without departing from the inven' tion. As herein shown the diamond is provided with a signal 10 at first base, a signal 11 at second base, a signal 12 at third base, a signal 14 at the home plate, a signal 15 in the pitchers box and a signal 16 in the catchers position. As stated above, however, additional signals may be used if it is desired. The different signals may indicate any desired values for the hit. Merely for illustrative purposes the signal 10 is shown as indicating one base hit, the signal 11 a home run, the signal 12 three base hit, the signal 14 a strike out, the signal 15 a put-out, and signal 16 a foul.

These signals may have any deslred construction without departing from the invention. They may be simply electric lights whi h will be illuminated or they may be in opened and the magnet will be de-energized so that the spring .30 will give the ratchet its forward step. Each forward step of the ratchet and ot the contact arm 21 with its shoe 23 will light one of the signal lights thereby indicating the value or" the play.

The contacts 32, 33 comprise a switch which operates with a snap action, the advantage of which is that whenever the ball is projected the switch will be positively closed and then will remain closed until the force with which the ball was projected has been expended when it will be quickly opened. The actual separating and closing of the cont-ac I arm 93, the disk 89 and spring 30 serving to place the spring arm 93 under compression to permit it to function in giving the switch its snap action.

The contacts l9 extend through the sup porting plate 20 and are connected by suitable wi 'es 50 with the various signal lamps. This wiring may be so arranged that the signal lamps will be illuminated in any desired sequence as the contact arm 21 is rotated.

My improved apparatus is also so constructed that in order to operate it it is necessary to drop a coin into a coin chute and the device is also so constructed that after the apparatus has been rendered operative by the dropping ot a coin in the coin chute it will remain in operative condition until the out signals have been operated for three times, thus indicating that three men have been put out and that the side has been retired. at which time the sig nal device will become inoperative and will remain inoperative until another coin. has been deposited in the coin chute.

Toaccomplish this I provide a coin-controlled make-and-break device in the circuit of the magnet 28 and also provide means for opening this circuit when the necessary three outs have been recorded by the signals.

lVhile various devices for accomplishing this may be employed that which is herein shown is deemed to be a practical one.

In the wiring diagranii shown in Fig. 3 the magnet 28 is illustrated as being energized "from a battery 35, it being connected to the battery through a circuit 36 which has therein the contacts 31, 32 and also has therein the make-and-break device. This make-and-break device is shown as a rotatable contact member 37 which is fast on the shaft 22 and a stationary contact member 38. The rotary contact member 37 is pro-- vided with a stepped surface having a plurality of cam faces 39.

While the game is being played the con tact arm 38 rests on one of the cam faces 39 thus completing thecircuit 36 at this point but after three outs have been recorded is is accomplished by the spring the contact 38 is separated or raised from the contact member 37 as shown in Fig. 3 thus opening the circuit at this point.

The contact member 38 is held in its inoperative position by means of a latch 40 pivoted at 41 to the plate or supporting member 42 which stands parallel to the supporting block 20. This latch is adapted to be released upon deposit of a coin in the coin chute 43 formed in the casing. For this purpose I employ a latch-releasing magnet 44, the armature 45 of which is connected to or forms part oil: the latch 40 so that when the magnet is energized and the armature raised the latch will be swung about its pivot 4i and thus withdrawn from operative engagei'nent with the contact member 38. This latch-releasing magnet 44 is connected in a circuit 46 which tapped oil from the circuit 36 and which has therein two contacts 47 adapted to be closed by a movable contact 48. This movable contact 48 is pivotally mounted at 49 and normally will be separated from the contacts 47 as shown in Fig. 2. The contact 48 is provided with an extension 60 situated beyond the 'pivot 49 and located beneath the lower end of the coin chute 43.

When a coin 51 is deposited in the chute it will upon emerging therefrom drop onto the extension 60 and the weight of the coin will be suflicient to overbalance the contact and raise the latter against the contacts 47 thus closing the circuit 46 of the latch-releasing magnet 44 with the result that the latch 40 is released from its engagement with the contact 38 and the latter closes onto the contact 39. The closing of the contacts 38, 39 closes the circuit 36 of the signal-actuating magnet 28 at this point and puts the machine in condition to be operated by hitting the ball 3 with the bat.

As the shaft 22 is stepped forward by the repeated actuations of the magnet 28 the contact arm 30 will ride up the incline 39 and by the time the high portion 52 of the cam surface is under the contact 38 it will have been raised above the shoulder 53 of the latch 40. As the contact 38 is gradually raised by the cam surface 39 it engages the incline face 54 of the latch and crowds the latch backwardly.

-As stated above by the time the high point 52 of the cam is in engagement with the contact 38 the latter has been elevated above the shoulder 53 and the Weight of the latch 40 causes it to swing into position with the shoulder 54 underneath the c011- tact 33. \Vhen the member 37 has finally been advanced to a point where the high portion 52 passes out from under the contact 38 the latter will move downwardly under its own resiliency until it is arrested by the shoulder of the latch 40 such shoulder holding the arm separated from the Hill The contact member 37 may have one or more cam surfaces 39. In other words, the

arrangement maybe so that each time a coin is deposited and the game apparatus is rendered operative the shaft 22 may make a complete rotation before it is rendered in,- operative or the construction may be such that the signal device will be rendered inoperative after the shaft has made a partial rotation.

In the construction shown the arrangement is such that after the shaft has made one-third of a rotation the signal device will be rendered inoperative l'orwhich purpose there are three cam surfaces 39 on the member 37. With this arrangement the annular new of signal contacts 19 will be divided into three groups or sections there being in each group three contacts leading to the out signal, thenext toithe last contact of each group being one of these. The last contact of each group which is indicated at 19is a blank, that is, it is not connected to any signal. 4

'lhe operation of the device will be readily understood from the above.

The apparatus normally is in the position shown in the drawings, the circuit 36 Open at 31, 32, and also open at 37, 38, and the contact 38 being held in inoperative position by the latch 10. The circuit l6 of the latch-releasing magnet 4a is also normally open as slhownin Fig.

To use the device the operator first deposits a coin 51 in the coin chute d3 which will close the circuit 46, cause the latch-releasing magnet 34 to be energized thereby re easing the latch 10 and allowing the contact .38 to close onto the contact 39. The game is then in condition for operation and the operator or player will apply force to the ball 3 to project the latter either by striking the ball with a hat .or throwing the ball by hand or in any other desired way...

Since the ball is connectedto the cord 6 the force which is thus applied to the ball will cause the arm 4 to rotate and the centrifugal force to which the ball is subjected will compress the spring 8 and allow the contacts 31, 32 to close thus energizing the signal-actuat ing magnet 28 which will step the shaft 22 and the contact 21 forward one step. It may be remarked at this point that when the machine is at rest normally the contact is on one of the blank contacts 19 so that .nosignal is exhibited.

In the construction shown there are thirty contacts 19 and these are divided into three groups of ten each indicated generally by a, b and c, the contacts of each group having predetermined number of steps.

three that connect to signals indicating out, the next to the last contact of each group being one of these and the last ,con-' tact of each group bein a blank 19. Each time that the ball 3 is hit the circuit 36'is closed on the contacts 31, 32 and the shaft 22 stepped forward one step thus carrying the brush 23 from one contact to the next. As the brush engages each contact the circuit is closed through the corresponding signal thus illuminating it and indicating the value of the hit. When the ball has been struck or pro ected "ten tunes the sh ait 22 Will have been turned through a third of a revolution and the member 37 Wlll have been advanced to a point wherein one of the high parts 52 of the member 37 has been carried out i'rom under the contact 38. As the contact 38 1s raised by the cam 39 it wipesby the latch 40 and when the high part 01 the cam passes out from under the contact 38 the latter 1. In a baseball game apparatus, the com bination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of a uni-directional intermittently-operating sig- I rial-actuating device, the successive forward steps of which operate to exhibit the Signals successively, a suspended ball adapted to be projected, and means rendered oper ative each time said ball is projected to step the signal-actuating device forward one step. V

2. In a baseball game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of a unidirectional intermittently-operating signalactuat'ing device by which the signalsv are exhibited successively, a suspended ball adapted to be projected by the application of force, means rendered operative each time said ball is projected to step the signal-act ating device forward one step, and means to render the signal-actuating device inoperative after it has been stepped forward a 3. In a. game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of an electrically-operated unidirectional signa l-actuat-' mg means by which the signals are exhibited 1 ammo for opening sai a m naililvyecpens ctrhas baenmomentanily. cle d: arveiete mined number of times. v

5, a game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of diflerent stages of the game, of an electrically-operated intermittently-operat1ng sig- Hal-actuating member having a uni-directional movement, a normally open circuit, a suspended ball adapted to be projected, and means to close momentarily said circuit whenever the ball is so projected and means to step the signal-actuating machanism forward one step each time the circuit is closed. 6. In a game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of an electrically-operated intermittently-operating signaLactuating member having a normal y open circuit, a suspended ball adapted to be projected, means to close momentarily said circuit Whenever the ball is so projected thereby to step the signal-actuating mechanism forward one step, and means to render the signal-actuating mechanism inoperative when it has been stepped forward a predetermined number of times.

7. In a game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of signal circuits therefor, each having a contact there in, a movable contact arm having a unidirectional movement and by which the cont acts are closed successively, a suspended ball adapted to be projected, and means operative each time the ball is projected to step the contact arm forward one step.

8. In a game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of signal circuits therefor, each having a contact therein, a movable contact arm by which the contacts are closed successively, a suspended ball adapted to be projected, means operative each time the ball is projected to step the contact arm forward one step, and means to render the last-named means inoperative after the ball has been projected a predetermined number of times.

9. In a game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, signal circuits for operating the signals each having a contact therein, a contact arm having a unidirectional movement and adapted to engage the contacts successively, a magnet for circuit when said;

intermittently arm, a nnrmalily opemoimuit" must, a adapted to be projected hythe -application oi tome; nwansvtm cloaesaid cimuit'eaeh projected K 10. In a baseball appaualmsytlte combination with a p walfifly all inddcative-dtdtfienentstages of that game; an electrically-actuated sjgnalsadxustingvmedh iiuelm acireuithaaing: normally 99.1 contacts em ball-sap, pertiugimember .haeauga lwniaental-wpontion ve waw mews w P s said member so that it may turn :1 out the axis of the horizontal portion, a ball suspended from the vertical portion of said member, whereby when the ball is given an impulse the tubular member is rotated about the horizontal portion as an axis, and circuit-closing means controlled by the centrifugal force of the ball.

11. In a game apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a tubular ball-supporting arm having a horizontal portion rotatably mounted in said casing and having a vertical portion, a plurality of signals'indicative of different stages of the game, signal-actuating means including a circuit having contacts therein, a spring for normally holding the contacts open, a ball suspended from said arm and adapted when given an impulse to-cause the arm to rotate, said spring being opposed by the centrifugal force on the ball when the arm rotates, whereby the impulse given to the ball ermits the contacts to c ose and the sigma -actuating member to be operated.

12. In a game a paratus, the combination with a plurality o signals indicative of different stages of the game, of an intermittently-operating signal-actuating device by which the signals are exhibited successively, a ball adapted to be projected b the application of force, and means ren ered operative each time the ball is projected to step the signal-actuating device forward one step whether the ball is projected with a relatively small force or a relatively great force.

13. In a baseball game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of a uni directional intermittently operating signal-actuating device b which the signals are exhibited successlvely and the suc cessive forward steps of which are of the same amplitude, a captive ball adapted to be projected, and means rendered operative each time the ball is projected to step the signal actuating device forward one step.

14. In a baseball game apparatus, the combination with a plurality of signals indicative of different stages of the game, of a uni directional intermittently -operating signal-actuating device by which the signals III III

are exhibited successively and the successive I ball is projected to step :the'signal-act'uating device forward one step, and means to-render the signal-actuating dev ice inoperative afterrit hasbeen stepped forward a predetermined'number of steps.

'15. In a gamea paratus, the combination with aplurality o signals indicative of difl'm'entstuges of the game,- of an electrically-l o pcra ted in tcrmittently-operating l signal-ac tiiating member, said member having a unipredetermined sequence by the intermittent operation of saidmember, a captivebhli adapted to be projected, and means opera,-

tive Wheneverthe ball; is projected to advance the signal-actuating 'member forward 7 onestep'. Q v e t In testimony whereof ,-I have signed my name to this specification FRED S. ATKINSON, 

